The Villain That NEEDS to Return to Doctor Who (The Trickster) 

If you enjoyed this, be sure to subscribe, and check out this playlist of all my other Doctor Who videos! ru-vid.com/group/PLLAcKhxuSe2btxP4NKBLi0CJXwUL3XHau

how can you watch ‘whatever happened to sarah jane’ and have your main takeaway be ‘bring back the guy with no eyes’ and not ‘bring back alan jackson skateboarding’

The Doctor being in the Sarah Jane Adventures was one of the coolest things I remember as a kid

The fact this show for kids managed to have such deep and interesting themes and plots is why SJA is the peak of kids tv.

“Pantheon of Discord” “Adherents of the repeated meme” Doctor Who was ahead of its time

Here after the first two episodes of season 1 and it looks like this wish isn't too far away!

The way Andrea twists her neck when shouting at Maria gave me nightmares for months after watching this episode

I’m so grateful I grew up with Sarah Jane and the 9/10th doctor

"Who Even Cares about the Plot? I'm here for the story" I love that quote and it's a mentality we need more often.

There isn't a villain in the Doctor Who universe that scared me more than The Trickster. Nightmares since 2007!

The Trickster is literally a god. It has to return. It would be incredible

I 100% agree One of the biggest hidden gems of doctor who

oh PLEASE can we have some talk about the sparticle mystery i loved that show so much and would love to see you chat about it

I've always wanted him in Doctor Who. He has so much potential to go against the doctor again with huge stakes that could be Finale worthy

The Trickster was the best villain in the entire SJA universe and the stories were perfect. What happened to Sarah Jane was an interesting concept and what would happen if she wasn’t there and it was up to Maria to save everyone with the help of her dad later on, you can’t forget the iconic grasks. The temptation of Sarah Jane is probably my least favourite because it had to top the original and it felt weird without Maria still (nothing against Rani but I loved Maria) but it was an emotional rollercoaster and did a good job at that. The wedding of Sarah Jane was brilliant, David Tennant returned (which was actually his last episode filmed as the doctor before he returned for the 50th special), an interesting story and we learnt more about the trickster. The Trickster would be a great antagonist to come back to manipulate the decisions of the current Tardis team and in my opinion especially the companions which could be turned into a cool two parter.

As a trans person, I'd be happy to lose a right or two if it got us the Trickster in Doctor Who 😂

I love this video most of the doctor who RU-vidr content out there doesn’t scratch the same itch your videos do. Can’t wait for more.

I would be curious as to how you felt about The Mark of the Beserker. I felt that had similar ish parts to it, mainly with the way Clyde’s dad made him forget about Rani and Luke, then even his mum.

I feel like RTD might be bringing him back rn, the goblins feel like tricksters brigade material and theres a hooded figure that dropped off ruby

The Trickster terrified me as a kid and he is easily one of my favourite Doctor Who villains

Still can't believe you watched SJA before Doctor Who lmao

I think the Trickster was so scary because it was more psychological rather than relying on jump scares or scary imagery. The Trickster worked its way into people's brains when they were on death's door in order to wreak havoc.

Man, I had forgotten how good the Trickster looked in white though.

In terms of episodes that upset me/got to me, The Curse of Clyde Langer got to me for extential reasons slightly similair to Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane, but instead of everyone else forgetting, what if everyone including my family and friends just hated me out of nowhere for reasons beyond my control? Gah!

Whatever Happened To Sarah Jane is one of the best pieces of Doctor Who media in history it sucks you can't watch it anywhere. I'm gonna try to but the 1-5 boxset I suppose. Also bless u for the Gareth Roberts warning and trans rights bit, good on you.

Ever notice The Weeping Angels and The Trickster feed the same way?

Watching him as a child was so scary but got me hooked.

Mad at you for making me cry with Sarah Jane's "what if this is my reward" bit and then immediately following it with Star Wars meme and Aunty Donna

The Trickster in my opinion is one of the most interesting villains in Doctor Who, we still know so little about it and maybe it can link into other stories like the one with the conscious universe. I too had nightmares about the Trickster. Overall I do want him to return and give more people in the world this great villain.

As a child, watching in control adults get overwhelmed by a situation terrified me

There are a good deal of Faustian elements in the Trickster, which can definitely be replicated in a new character if need be. Basically as you said, the formula is really what makes the Trickster amazing, and that formula can be put into a different new villain. On a side note, hopefully someone from the BBC watches this and remembers to finally put The Sarah Jane Adventures on IPlayer.

I agree. Trickster needs to come back in a subtle fashion. Also No More Lies is one of my Personal Favourite stories

Just here to make sure the first comment mentions Scongo

BBC has pretty much owned all DW characters for decades, so The Trickster could come back at any time. Just like Captain Jack's recent appearance. I had a great idea for a story involving the Trickster and an element from a previous Doctor that I think could be deliciously massive. I mean massive like if DW continues to be a mess, this could be a reboot.

“A figure with a faceless... face 🙃” Lol

What’s quite interesting is that we’ve actually heard him mentioned in Doctor Who - at the end of Turn Left, the Doctor says that the time beetle is “one of the Trickster’s gang”. This means that the Doctor is aware of the Trickster, and there’s precedent for crossover. I believe that the Trickster’s gang also shows up in Torchwood. It’s honestly strange that he HASNT shown up in the main series.

Ah, the Trickster and his famous love of minerals. In fairness to him, the Cybermen did the same thing in The Wheel in Space, suddenly pausing their desire for conversion and survival in lieu of wanting minerals from planets. For... reasons.

Yeah you’re passions definitely came across. I expect content like this to be 10-15 mins but as it went on I was so happy that it’s longer. The Trickster has always been the thing that stood out the most for me from SJA but I never really knew why, this is it and I thank you for that, and the laughs I had along the way!

The Trickster at least got a name drop

Thank you for acknowledging Maria as an actor being so amazing! I find her underrated!

After devils chord. My hope grows everyday

What I think would be really cool is for the Monks to be revealed to be another part of the Trickster’s Brigade, we get a two parter where another one of the members of The Trickster’s Brigade, possibly the Monks, and they use the same method to do something horrible, I don’t know what it is, could be genocide of every universe or something more personal, but after doing this the Doctor decides that enough is enough and he goes up against the Trickster’s Brigade, including the Trickster in a climactic series event, possibly the biggest ever

I wish the 12th Doctor was known as the Valeyard during the Monks trilogy

Watched all your videos (except the Christmas video as I only watch Christmas content near Christmas) and love your channel. I love how you present your videos

Yo I absolutely love this! The tone, the structure, you're doing fantastic work! Subscribed and I'm looking forward to more content!

I would love to use of the dream lord again. He is one of the favourite villains. He is everything that is needed as a doctor who villain.

This was a very good video, it was amazing high quality for such a small channel. I also love that you talked about the trickster he is such a under rated villain but I will always prefer the orange slitheen (I can’t remember their name) because I like how they took over earth with a gift and you didn’t know that it was them until the end, I also like the world building around that area with the absorbalofs, the slitheen and the orange slitheen all near the planet (I will not attempt to spell it but it is the slitheens planet) and clom (if I remember that is the absorbalofs planet.

I hate that scene in The Lie of the Land. The Doctor turning to the enemy, working with oppressors? That's the most severe betrayal of Bill imaginable. Bill shooting the Doctor? Ditto. This is the spinning scene, where everything gets flipped 180°. Their dynamic can never be the same again...but it is. By the next scene. I know it makes World Enough and Time more impactful if 12 and Bill were on good terms, but people do - and quite rightly - complain that the one thing Series 10 was missing was a character arc for Bill. This scene would have been perfect, had they stuck to their guns and gone through with it.

The problem is that sometimes when you bring back a good villain it can water them down. It's the law of diminishing returns we see it time and again and I think they would have ended up going over old ground if the Trickster had returned.

7:50 I never made that connection before, I loved that song they were playing in the background. It was definitely MEANT to be a little Easter Egg

the trickster was by far the scariest villain on sja for me, so much that i had to cover my eyes when he was on screen. coming second was definitely bradley walsh as the clown in the day of the clown lol. this was a great video, i really liked how you linked everything together! (also the phrase 'pantheon of discord' has stuck with me ever since it was said in the show so the discord mod joke made me laugh)

What if they brought the Trickster (or equivalent) back by making a deal to make the daleks never exist. You would have a dilemma from the Doctor because of all of their trauma, but without all his battles with them the Doctor would be a very different person. Anyway I just found your channel today, and I have been loving it. Great video!

Excellent video as always

Would love to see more SJA content that was my childhood. Also the trickster was an amazing villain and I loved your review of these episodes

I forgot how good those episodes where I havent seen Sarah Jane since I was a kid I may watch it again

It's night now. Scrolling through videos in my feed, I see the Trickster. And may I say I've never been so scared, haha! But he really should come back.

aw man joe you're so cool, brilliant stuff

Okay, so I've had a theory about the Monks that touches on a couple of the things you discuss - but my headcanon, which I know is 100% not actually canon, is that The Monks are actually renegade Tricksters. Like you say, they alter history, require consent and seek 'pure chaos' like the Trickster, however they do so through technology rather than natural powers. Originally the Monks are part of the Tricksters brigade, potentially spawn of the Trickster or a completely different entity. In response to the failure of the Trickster in SJA's series 5 planned finale, they revolt and attempt to take the mantle of the Trickster themselves - to oversee their manipulation of time on a larger scale. They fail in doing so and the Trickster casts them out from the realm he exists in and, from here, they find themselves with no meaning. They create the technology to continue their operations and they seek control rather than destruction - they fly about the universe, suceed in some places and fail in others and on Earth we see them enact the Tricksters plan - find a moment to exploit, propose an ultimatum and seize control. Their failure, however, is that they're based on technology rather than time powers and ultimately brought down by Bill outsmarting it

Great video Joe! While I've only actually watched 1 of the 3 SJA stories featuring The Trickster, I do love those sorts of stories, and something like that in the future would be something I'd love to see. Maybe you could use the Mara, with the bargain that they keep you if they grant you something.

there was also suppose to be another story with him in season 5 where he made serah janes house difrent.

Nah the wedding of Sarah Jane smith is the best episode ever.

I love seeing Sarah Jane Adventures getting some love! Best Doctor Who tv spinoff! I will also say in defence of the Wedding of Sarah Jane, it does differentiate itself in that the thing Sarah is tempted with isn't just a person she loves, but also a quiet ordinary life. Probably undercut when she'd never have it if the Trickster won but it's there.

Love the Scongo you put in the matrix montage xD

babe wake up new joe brennan video

the trickster would be awesome in an actual doctor who cannon.

Enjoyed the subtle edit on the Guardian article.

Turn Left wouldn't been three times better if it featured The Trickster himself.

Can we talk about how Trickster never once managed to scratch Sarah Jane, but his bug just effortlessly deleted the whole cast of the show?

Great video Joe!

I see that Scongo in the background!

Really well done video and making me want to watch the show again haha

good video joe brennan

Great video - subscribed!

Gonna vote for you when the Whotuber awards come round this year, your great and have some real good strong points. Good job and keep up the great work 👍

There's not one single Doctor Who villain scarier than John Barrowman 😂

You yourself would make quite a fine Doctor Who character. Thanks for the quality video.

Bruh just found this video totally forgetting about the Facebook page, video loaded and I was like, hey this guy looks familiar lmaoo

I can't think of a bigger Doctor Who "villain" than Chris Chibnall.

I remember watching this when I was babysitting. I'm really surprised that the more tame show has this kind of villain but, then again, there are some kids shows that are genuinely terrifying. And I love that kids should have media that allows them to experience fear without being in actual danger. To an extent of course some kids are more sensitive than others, including myself. I was up for weeks because of a rugrats episode lol

The conclusion to Monk Part 2 always stuck out to me as an inaccurate answer to the question posed. I always felt it was a "have your cake and eat it to" situation where they wanted something as corny as "love is the answer" but didn't want to diminish how "cool" the episode is by saying so. However, the amount they had to bend over backwards to avoid having the monks explicitly say "We need a love-sacrifice to power our telepathic field" just meant the end result felt like a cheat. "Fear" and "strategy" were established as both being impure, but how was Bill's consent not a strategic move to save the Doctor motivated by the fear of losing him?

No no no, bring back the little red goblin man with a taser who hung out with him. What's his story? Whats his deal?

The concept that you might push the single worst affliction a human can suffer onto someone else, sparing yourself but sacrificing another, was always the scariest thing from doctor who to me. It’s part of what made me the existential, philosophical smart-Alec I am today. Thanks doctor who

13:28 Gives me goosebumps every time.

The Tenth Doctor and The Trickster Talk was by Far one of the best Scenes in the Franchise these 2 have never met before that and their first face off was just amazing

I had a theory that one of the tricksters shadow was the one that escaped from the howling halls that killed Elton’s mum in love and monsters.

15:00 "who cares about the plot, I'm here for the story" Me 100% of the time! 15:04 yes just yes!

Commenting to make the algorithm like your video, very cool

The trickster is a discord admin confirmed

Temptation is tenfold better to Father's Day. Yeah, I said it. Actually exploring aborted timelines, instead if just telling us about them is pretty commendable considering Sarah Jane is operating on half of Who's budget. Then there's the difference between The Trickster and the Reapers. Now we have a villain with ambition, goals - not just parasites. Even small stuff like motivation. I remember Russell saying that Gareth wanted Sarah to be physically stuck in the past (like 9 and Rose when the TARDIS folds in on itself), but Russell said no. He said make her _choose_ to stay there, knowing she's endangering her son - and possibly the world. Make her selfish. Imagine if in Father's Day Rose insisted on staying in the past, at least for a while, and the Doctor didn't want to leave her, even when he was furious. Instantly that's so much more interesting than the former. Honestly think Temptation is better.

Your jabs against Barrowman -- brilliant.

the Vashta Nerada and the Midnight entity were pretty memorable imo The Silence also scared the crap out of me

fr tho this thumbnail unlocked some arcane memory deep within me...

This haunted my childhood nightmares and the name alone scares me because of those memories- yes i want this back

Interestingly, when the show was at its peak with the two spin offs there was another one commissioned that never saw the light of day. This would have been called Rose Tyler: Earth Defence and would have explored Earth invasion stories with Rose with an alternate version of Torchwood. According to RTD’s notes there would have been an alternate Torchwood team with a different Captain Jack. I wonder if this would have explored the existentialism Rose would almost definitely experienced when being trapped in a world that is similar yet vastly different to her own world.

If they can't bring back the Trickster they can always says Clyde killed him with the Artron energy and introduce his brother the Prankster

Amazing video! I 100% agree with all your points. I would love the Trickster to return, he has the most creepy design and a refreshing motive that can lead to varying mentally scarring consequences.

Don't pretend you don't get scared when you watch doctor who, I know a squealer when I see one

I agree, with a more modern design it could be one of the best episodes in Who... ever

For some reason I have never ever forgot about that Sarah Jane episode

They at least justified the meteor strike, as the Trickster simply removed the other threats because he needed a truly senseless, chaotic thing to destroy Earth upon which to feed as opposed to an invasion; that gives context to why he does this now.